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dimanche 15 mars 2015

... Our next publication ...

Nymphéas - Claude Monet

Contrary to
popular belief, yachting in France started on the inland waterways before being
practised at the seaside. Paris was one of the most important centres of this
growth, with boating developing as early as 1800 – 1830 before gradually
flowing down the Seine to the Channel coast.

Without delving
into great detail, impressionism started in Normandy around Le Havre and quite
naturally boats became one of the recurring subjects of the genre. However, the
artists weren't content just to paint them! Along with other creative people
the impressionists were among the main early exponents of yachting in the
second half of the nineteenth century. They cruised, raced, went out for Sunday
afternoon jaunts and even designed and built boats. Nearly all the impressionists
were involved in boating one way or another.

Clipper à Argenteuil, 1887, Paul Signac

As privileged
observers of the early days of yachting, we have made the part played by the
impressionists in this history one of our principal areas of research, over the
last 15 years or so.

Following the
same principals as in our previous collaborations, notably "America’s Cup Yacht Designs, 1851-1986",
we have decided to publish the fruits of our research in a book to be published
within the next two or three years. Apart from the history, drawings of the
yachts these painters sailed, or imagined, together with reproductions of their
artistic works (many little known) will feature in this work of some 800 pages
of dimensions equivalent to our first publications.

We will regularly
keep you up to date, from now on, with progress of our research, starting with
this piece below outlining some of our thoughts.